Jose Granda, whose
computer modeling techniques have landed him research scholar positions with
NASA during the last two summers, is the recipient of this year’s Outstanding
Scholarly Achievement Award at California State University, Sacramento.

Granda is a professor of mechanical engineering at CSUS. He’ll receive
his award at an event at the University’s new Modoc Hall at 4 p.m., Tuesday,
May 11, where he’ll give a lecture on “Modeling and simulation technologies
for understanding the International Space Station and airplanes of the future.”

Granda’s work is focused on methods of automatically generating mathematical
code for advanced simulation software using Bond Graph technology. Such methods
give engineers a quicker, easier way to test ideas and understand how dynamic
systems work before a single part is manufactured. Granda and his students use
software he has designed and improved over the last two decades called CAMP-G
(Computer Aided Modeling Program with Graphical Input).

Granda is currently working on a model of NASA’s Assembly Flight 12A,
a planned space shuttle mission. The task is to make sure the space station
remains stable as new components are added, during docking with the Space Shuttle
and maneuvering operations. The summer of 2004 will be the third summer Granda
will join the NASA Langley Research Center scientists and engineers as a faculty
fellow.

NASA has also involved Granda in analyzing the dynamics of “morphing”
airplanes that the agency is researching. Through that long-term project, NASA
hopes to create a new generation of airplanes with wings that bend and twist
so they can fly fast or slow, or even hover.

Granda is the 43rd recipient of the Outstanding Scholarly Achievement Award,
which is given annually to a CSUS faculty member who has made significant contributions
to a discipline through scholarly activity, creative artistic endeavors, research
and publication.